Municipal, Snafu

They should be seeking other jobs …

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… but then who would hire them?

We now know the truth behind the proposed 2 cents a litre gas tax – it is all about allowing the mayor, city council and senior city staff to continue feasting at the city’s salary trough even though the state of Abbotsford’s roads demonstrates both incompetence and irresponsible behaviour.

“There would be outrage and all of us (at city hall) would soon be seeking other daytime jobs,’ predicted the mayor. “Nine percent isn’t going to fly.”

The gas tax is so the mayor, city council and city staff will be able to go with a deceptively lower property tax increase in next budget and thus keep stuffing their pockets with taxpayer dollars.

Why is the City of Abbotsford and its taxpayers facing this road fiasco?

“It’s so easy for councils to get into postponing roads as a way to balance budgets” he (Mayor Peary) said.

In other words the mayor and city council were focused not on what was needed for Abbotsford to thrive as a city, but on what would get them re-elected and allow them to continue to collect their salaries. Salaries that they clearly did not earn or deserve in light of their failure to take care of city business on behalf of the citizens of Abbotsford.

Given the behaviour of city council and city staff one cannot help but wonder if the reason for all this talk of roads and maintenance is because of council seeking some rational for their proposed gas tax?

Remember that there are numerous other financial issues and needs that the City of Abbotsford needs millions of dollars of increased revenue to cover or fund.

Regretfully it is clear that those responsible for the sad state of affairs and finances in our city, lack the honour and integrity to resign. Of course if they had honour and integrity Abbotsford would not be facing the critical situations it is.

For Your Information – Mayor Peary, city council and city staff: whether it is a gas tax or property tax it is coming out of taxpayer’s pockets.

It is clear that Abbotsford City Hall has failed, year after year, budget after budget, to act responsibly or with due care for the City of Abbotsford and its taxpayers. When the consequences of their irresponsible actions become unavoidable what is the response?

A proposed gas tax as they seek to avoid responsibility for their previous bad management by hiding the true magnitude of the tax raise needed, in order that they can continue to hold onto their jobs and collect their extravagant salaries. Salaries that the state of Abbotsford’s roads, other lacking infrastructure and finances demonstrate were neither earned nor deserved.

With a mayor, city council and city staff whose actions, over many years, are based on holding onto their jobs and collecting their unmerited salaries taxpayers can place no trust on any of their statements as to the true state the City of Abbotsford is in.

I will be writing to our local MLA’s and the Premier to urge them to say NO to the gas tax and force, at least in this matter, Abbotsford City Hall to answer in some small manner for their actions.

I will also be asking our MLA’s and the Premier, in light of the demonstrated fact that Abbotsford City Hall has been making decisions based not on what the City of Abbotsford needs but on what will allow them to hold onto their jobs and get re-elected and the reality that therefore citizens can place no faith in any statements or claims made as to the actual state of affairs for the City of Abbotsford, to have the Auditor General do a full examination of the financial records and the state of the City of Abbotsford.

It has become clear that this is the only way that the people paying the bills will find out how matters truly stand for the City of Abbotsford.

I urge all other citizens to write, fax, e-mail and call our MLA’s and the Premier to demand that they act responsibly and in the best interests of the citizens of Abbotsford by saying NO to the gas tax and having the Auditor General conduct an examination of the City of Abbotsford and report the true sate of affairs to the citizens of Abbotsford.

It is time to lift the veil of secrecy, open the closed doors and let the citizens of Abbotsford know accurately and truthfully what shape our City is in.

behaviour, Consider

At least spend a moment to think of others.

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Greed, selfishness, it’s all about me ….not a very good basis to build a society on; so why have we done just that?

Indeed, greed, selfishness, it’s all about me has become so ingrained, so much part of the fabric of our society that people no longer even recognize this behaviour for what it is.

A, perturbing reality highlighted by the media coverage and the behaviour of the citizens involved and/or affected by the cancellation of the funding for the seniors programs. Threats of not voting Liberal to blackmail them into changing their decision, screams for the funding to be restored, etc …

I think the cancelled program is a good, cost effective program that delivers needed and beneficial services.

What disturbs me is that the reaction was this is taking something away from ME and I want it back.

As a society we have become so self-centred that when anything such as this happens, any situation that takes something away from ME, we scream to get it back without ever asking or considering what the cost to others is. Others? It is all about me!

If the money was restored to the program, where would it come from? If the $86,000 is put back into the seniors program, what program (or programs) loses $86,000?

If the province funds the $86,000 by increasing the deficit then we are simply adding to the burden of debt we have saddled our children, our grandchildren, great grandchildren … with. It is all about ME thinking has become so basic a part of our society that we do not give a passing thought to borrowing money and leaving future generations to pay for our self-indulgent, improvident life styles.

It is about ME; why should I consider the effect on those not ME?

The fact that ME based decision making lacks foresight, is incautious, is unwary and neglects to provide for future needs or the needs of others is not MY problem … until the consequences of this behaviour comes home to roost and good programs begin to be cut.

We can continue to make decisions based only upon ourselves, voting for those who tell us what we want to hear, the behaviour that got us where we are today…

Or we can consider others and the health of our society and begin to address issues, solve problems and perhaps manage to get ourselves out of the deep hole, karmic and financial, that we have dug ourselves into.

Federal, Issues, Municipal, Provincial

Politicians Lie? What a Shock!

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I'm Shocked!
I'm Shocked!

Why is anyone surprised that politicians would lie, withhold information or release information when it is most favourable to the politicians?

After all that is how the voting public has trained them to behave.

When you punish those of integrity – who tell the truth, want to address important issues, are solution oriented acknowledging that solutions are not going to be neat, tidy or free, are interested in the wellbeing of all Canadians and in bringing change; then have the audacity to insist on talking about these things when Canadians want to hear everything is wonderful and it is easy, simple and inexpensive to fix problems – by refusing to listen or think about what they are saying and refusing to vote for those of integrity because they insist on telling the voting public the truth, is it any wonder that people of integrity cease seeking office?

When you reward those who tell the public what it wants to hear no matter what the reality of the situation is; listen to their fear-mongering tales of boogeyman; accept unquestioningly financial statements and claims that if applied to your personal finances would have you homeless and on the street; accept unquestioningly statements that cannot stand up to event the most elementary logic or reason; insist that problems have easy, neat, tidy and fast answers; claim that everything is wonderful and there is not need for change; pit citizen against citizen for personal and political advantage – voting for them simply because they tell the voting public what it wants to hear, is it any wonder that politicians lie, withhold information or release it when it is to their advantage?

“What is the primary purpose of a political leader? To build a majority. If voters care about parking lots, then talk about parking lots.” Newt Gingrich

When the public votes only for those who tell them what they want to hear and about parking lots, refusing to listen to, consider or vote for those who insist on addressing issues, how can they be surprised that they end up without people of integrity in government and with a legislature populated with those who will lie and tell them whatever they want to hear in order to win?

If citizens want people of integrity in government then they have to convince people of integrity that they are ready to listen, to think about and to engage in discussion of important issues – even if they would rather not hear about issues, about making choices and change.

Then they have to be willing to vote for them.

There is a joke that goes: Stop repeat offenders. Don’t re-elect them.

If citizens want honour and integrity in those in elected office they have to vote for people of honour and integrity.

Understand that if you elect people of honour and integrity they are not going to lie to you and tell you what you want to hear, they are going to tell you what is and what you need to hear about, think about and decide about.